Heading
(familiar); rup (popular); schpile (popular); sgoff (popular); snoboye (fam. and pop.); superlificoquentieux (= splendiferous).
1885. Daily Telegraph, 1 August, p. 2, col.2. 'She'll do fizzing,' remarked Mr. Menders, regarding the transformed effigy admiringly, 'to stick up at the head of the barrer.'
Fizzle, subs. (American).—A
ridiculous failure; a flash in the
pan. [The figure is adapted
from wet powder which burns
with a hiss, and then goes out.]
In many of the United States
colleges, the term = a blundering
recitation. To hit just
one third of the meaning constitutes
'a perfect fizzle.'—Hall's
College Words. The
'Brunonian,' Feb. 24, 1877, defines
the word to mean 'where
the student thinks he knows, but
can't quite express it,' or 'he tries
to express it, and the professor
thinks he doesn't quite know.'
1849. Tomahawk, November. Here he could fizzles mark, without a sigh, And see orations unregarded die.
1851. National Intelligencer, 8 Dec. The speech was as complete a fizzle as has ever disgraced Congress, and we hope sincerely the honourable member from Massachusetts will take the lesson to heart.
1865. Letter in the D. Telegraph, 30 March. The famous 'Jack o' Clubs,' from which so much was expected, is a dead fizzle. The half of the men had to leave the mines and go to the low country for want of work; and wages, which always were $10 a-day, were reduced to $80 per month, with board.
1883. Echo, 16 March, p. 4, col. 1. What promised at first to be a magnificent Parliamentary 'row' ended in a mere unsensational fizzle.
1890. St. James' Gaz., 1 May, p. 4, col. 2. Altogether it begins to look as though the terrible demonstrations of down-trodden labour which were to shake society to its foundations would end in something like fizzle.
Verb (American).—To fail in reciting; to recite badly. Also (said of an instructor) to cause one to fail at reciting. At some American colleges flunk (q.v.) is the common word for an utter failure. To fizzle = to stumble through at last. In the 'Yale Literary Messenger,' 'Fizzle = To rise with modest reluctance, to hesitate often, to decline finally; generally, to misunderstand the question.' Also to flat OUT (q.v.). Four. Far une yappa.
1847. The Yale Banger, 22 Oct. My dignity is outraged at beholding those who fizzle and flunk in my presence tower above me.
1850. Yale Lit. Mag., p. 321. Fizzle him tenderly, Bore him with care; Fitted so slenderly, Tutor, beware.
End of Vol. II.
